Boat having an elevated and aft located con position

ABSTRACT

A boat having a tower (3) extending upwardly and supporting a con position (7) adjacent the upper end thereof and wherein the con position (7) has a sole (8) having an aft end located not more than 10% of the load waterline length of the boat forward of a stern of the boat.

This invention relates to boats.

The present inventor has noted that many powered fishing boats areprovided with a tower having a con position located adjacent the top ofthe tower from which the movement of the boat in the water can becontrolled. The principal reason for such towers is to allow a personconning the boat to have better visibility of the water for purposesincluding mooring, avoiding obstacles and for the sighting of fish.

However, the inventor has noted that such towers are always locatedsubstantially centrally of the load waterline of the boat and hasfurther noted that such a location has a restricted view downwardly intothe water as the bow and stern of the boat obscure the view and,further, such view as there is tends to be oblique in substantial partsuch that light reflected of an oblique water surface obscures the view.

Since viewing substantially directly down into the water is important insome types of fishing, particularly marlin fishing, the present inventorconsiders that existing towers are not satisfactory.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a boat having a towerextending upwardly and supporting a con position adjacent the upper endthereof and wherein the con position has a sole having an aft endlocated not more than 10% of the load waterline length of the boatforward of a stern of the boat.

Preferably said aft end is located not more than 10% of the loadwaterline length forward or aft of the stern.

More preferably said aft end is located substantially directly above thestern.

Preferably said tower extends upwardly and aftwards. The aftwardsextending of the tower effectively can locate the centre of gravity ofthe tower further forward than if the tower extended vertically.

Preferably said sole is located not lower than 25% of the load waterlinelength of the boat above the load waterline of the boat.

More preferably said sole is located not lower than 33% of the loadwaterline length of the boat above the load waterline of the boat.

Most preferably said sole is located between 25% to 66% of the loadwaterline length of the boat above the load waterline of the boat.

The tower preferably comprises upwardly and aftwardly extending limbswhich extend from positions relatively lateral of the boat. Those limbsare preferably joined at the top thereof to stabilise the tower.

Ladder means may be provided on one or more of the limbs.

The present invention will now be illustrated by way of non-limitingexample with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the aft end of a boat constructedin accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a full boat constructed inaccordance with this invention showing the load water line length of theboat.

The boat shown in FIG. 1 has a hull 1, a superstructure 2 which enclosescontrols for the boat and a tower 3.

The tower 3 comprises two limbs 4, a wing 6 joining the limbs 4 and acon position 7.

A ladder (not shown) will normally be located on one or both of thelimbs 4.

The con position 7 comprises a sole 8 and also comprises such controlsfor the boat as are considered necessary.

It is to be noted that the sole 8 at its aft end is directly above thestern 9 of the boat.

The above described con position allows a good view of the boat itselfand of any adjacent wharf or obstacle but also enables a good viewsubstantially directly down into the water whilst leaving the fishingcockpit area 10 unobstructed.

Referring to FIG. 2, the load water line length of the boat is shown bythe line extending along the length of the boat at water level anddesignated by the reference numeral 11.

The described arrangement has been advanced merely by way of explanationand many modifications may be made thereto without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention which includes every novel feature andcombination of novel features herein disclosed.

I claim:
 1. A fishing, sport or pleasure boat having a fishing cockpitarea and a tower supporting a wing tower control position provided withcontrols for maneuvering the boat, adjacent the upper end thereof, thewing tower control position having a sole with an aft end located notmore than 10% of the load water line length of the boat forward of astern of the boat the sole being located not lower than 25% of the loadwater line length of the boat above the load water line of the boat, theconstruction of the tower being such as to leave the fishing cockpitarea unobstructed and to allow an unobstructed view from the wing towercontrol position directly down into the water behind the stern.
 2. Aboat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said aft end is located not morethan 10% of the load water line length forward or aft of the stern.
 3. Aboat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said aft end is locatedsubstantially directly above the stern.
 4. A boat as claimed in claim 1,wherein said tower extends upwardly and aftwards.
 5. A boat as claimedin claim 1, wherein said sole is located not lower than 33% of the loadwater line length of the boat above the load water line of the boat. 6.A boat as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sole is located between 25%to 66% of the load water line length of the boat above the load waterline of the boat.
 7. A boat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the towercomprises upwardly and aftwardly extending limbs which extend frompositions relatively lateral of the boat.
 8. A boat as claimed in claim1, wherein the limbs are joined at the top thereof to stabilize thetower.
 9. A boat as claimed in claim 1, including ladder means on one ormore of the limbs.